OAKLAND — Companies and households rallied on Sunday afternoon in entrance of metropolis corridor to point out unity and struggle for a safer Oakland.
Earlier than attending the rally, one store proprietor was cleansing up her clothes retailer after somebody broke in early that morning.
“On Easter and to be violated this manner — it simply feels horrible,” mentioned Oakland designer Taylor Jay.
Surveillance footage confirmed that, round 5:30 a.m., a masked man used a hammer to smash the shop’s glass door after which kicked it open.
The thief took two giant suitcases from the shop and stuffed them up with ladies’s clothes and niknaks.
“There is no respect. You’re taking our suitcases to take our stuff after which additionally they took a complete rack (of garments.) They rolled the entire rack out,” Jay mentioned.
Sunday’s solidarity rally got here at a pivotal time for Jay. She had thought of closing her retailer again in January however determined to maintain it open due to group assist.
“It is only a nice disappointment. It does not make us really feel bold about staying,” Jay mentioned.
She mentioned she misplaced roughly $20,000 in merchandise.
The Broadway retailer in downtown Oakland is the flagship retailer. She has a second retailer within the Rockridge District. She mentioned each have seen large declines in site visitors as a result of persons are afraid to go to Oakland.
“We have constructed such a profitable model right here. We wish to thrive right here. We do not wish to die right here,” Jay mentioned.
Demonstrators Sunday mentioned they meant to keep away from politics on the rally and have been looking for unity.
“If we have now just a little extra unity, we are able to begin listening to one another and cease arguing and give you options,” mentioned downtown Oakland restaurant proprietor Nigel Jones.
Jones mentioned that, whereas he thanks Gov. Gavin Newsom for putting in surveillance cameras and sending CHP officers into Oakland, the governor can do extra. Jones desires extra officers to assist patrol the town and much more cash for crime prevention packages.
He mentioned Alameda County and extra giant companies ought to step in and assist — resembling by offering grants to struggling companies and bringing employees again to the workplace.
Blue Protect, Kaiser Permanente, Clorox and PG&E simply invested $10 million to create a secure zone in uptown and downtown Oakland.
“Structurally, if issues do not change and we have now some actual revenue-generation occurring within the metropolis, plenty of companies are going to shut very quickly,” Jones mentioned.
Jones and Jay say that, if everybody works collectively, they will resurrect the town.
“We’re just a little bit upset with Oakland proper now however we nonetheless love Oakland,” Jay mentioned.
Companies are additionally encouraging folks from across the Bay Space to buy and eat in Oakland. They consider Oakland can thrive if folks unite.
